Gas Miners Guild
The Gas Miners Guild (GMG) is a tight-knit professional organization that acts as the primary suppler of H-Fuel to the four major houses. Faction Info The following information is divided up into sections based on which GMG base it was copied from. *Aomori Station is the major outpost of the Gas Mining Guild (GMG) in Kusari space. Initially built as an equipment depot for Honshu miners working the lucrative oceans of gas in the Crow Nebula, Aomori has been extensively expanded and renovated over the centuries. Once an exclusive agreement was signed with Samura in 330 AS for the distribution of Fuel, Aomori gained even greater importance as the main point of contact between the GMG and Samura. However, the GMG continues to assert its independence, and Aomori Station is considered sovereign GMG territory. *Rich in vital gas resources, the Sigma-13 system has been contested by a number of groups since its discovery in 60 AS. Conflict reached a fever pitch when the system became one of the more fiercely contested prizes during the 80-Years War between the Gas Mining Guild (GMG) and Rheinland. Using speed and a thorough knowledge of the territory, the GMG managed to push back the Rheinland forces, finally obliterating the bulk of the Rheinland Navy at the Battle of the Yanagi Nebula. Since that time the system has been almost exclusively under GMG control, and the Gas Miner Naha has provided support for the GMG's extensive mining operations. *The Gas Mining Guild (GMG) first surveyed the Sigma-19 system in 550 AS and determined that it was rich in resources -- though far distant from the GMG’s usual markets. After intense negotiations, the GMG signed an agreement with Kishiro to finance a Jump Gate to the system in exchange for mining rights. Once the Jump Gate was opened in 650 AS, the Gas Miner Ogashawa was stationed in the system by the GMG and began full-scale operations. The fact that several Kishiro expert advisors are permanently assigned to the ship and that the Ogashawa provides support for Kishiro's own mining activities in the system has reportedly not been well received by its corporate rival, Samura. Bases *Aomori Station, Honshu system *Gas Miner Naha, Sigma 13 system *Gas Miner Ogashawa, Sigma 19 system Official Faction Status *Allies **None *Enemies **Rheinland Military **Rheinland Police **Corsairs **Hogosha **Outcasts **Kruger Minerals **Bundschuh Rep Grinding Info *Friends **Kishiro Technologies (+0.35) **Samura Heavy Industries (+0.25) **Kusari Naval Forces (+0.17) **Kusari Police (+0.17) **Farmers Alliance (+0.10) **Golden Chrysanthemums (+0.10) **Orbital Spa and Cruise (+0.10) **Zoners (+0.10) **Blood Dragons (+0.05) **Bundschuh (+0.05) *Enemies **Kruger Minerals (-0.30) **Outcasts (-0.30) **Corsairs (-0.25) **Hogosha (-0.10) **Red Hessians (-0.10) **Unioners (-0.10) **LWB (-0.05) It is interesting to note that the GMG supports both the "lawful" Kusari mega-corps of Samura and Kishiro and the Kusari Police and Naval Forces, but also shows sympathy for the Farmers Alliance, GC, Blood Dragons, and even the Bundschuh. This would seem to indicate that the GMG is pro-Kusari, but also sympathetic to the struggles of rebels against a corrupt system. Interestingly, the Farmers Alliance is offered a pass, but the LWB is not. This would indicate that the GMG does not have a grudge against Synth Foods (though individual Gas Miners may indeed be disgusted by Synth Paste). Also, the Unioners are considered enemies, even though it is very likely that Unioner agitation slowing production of Rheinland ships greatly contributed to the GMG's military success in the 80 Years War. News IS THE GMG IN CONTROL OF SIGMA-13?: NAHA -- Kusari and Rheinland shippers are questioning whether the GMG is able to control the mounting menace of Outcasts and Corsairs crossing its space within Sigma-13. Despite frequent GMG patrols, criminal activity in the system has steadily risen since the arrival of the Junkers and ALG several years ago. The Rheinland Military is forbidden to enter the system according to the rules laid out in the treaty that ended the 80 Years War. The Kusari Naval Forces are also reluctant to undertake the task, given New Tokyo's often complicated relationship with the fiercely independent Guild. GMG COMING HOME: HONSHU -- With the advancements in ship engineering and Trade Lanes, it is no longer necessary for Nebula gas miners to be away for years at a time. A recent trend among some of the GMG is to establish residence on Honshu as a home away from their usual haunts in the Sigma systems. Honshu residents have mixed feelings. "Why should we be glad about them coming back?" asked one Honshu native. Another spoke differently, "I'm honored that these men and women have returned to their homeland, if only for part of the time." GMG ANNOUNCES PLAN FOR SIGMA-19: AOMORI -- Kishiro has been awarded the new GMG contract to build an addition to the Ogashawa Mining Station in Sigma-19. There have been rumors that the expansion will double the current size of Ogashawa, surpassing the Osaka facility's capacity. Many speculate that this is a major step for the GMG away from their centuries-old relationship with Samura. When questioned about a new GMG partnership, Kishiro sources responded, "Kishiro has been hired by the GMG to help build the station's new wing; no other contracts have been made. Anything else is hearsay." OSAKA NEGOTIATIONS DEADLOCKED: OSAKA -- After the third week of talks it looks like Samura and the GMG cannot find common ground in negotiating future gas mining contracts. Samura representatives are not accepting the elevated prices that the GMG has proposed for business between the two entities. "The prices they are asking for are much higher than we are paying in the current contracts," said one Samura source. The GMG has argued that it is becoming more expensive to mine gas since its ships must go further afield looking for new gas sources. YOUTH RETURN TO THEIR HOMELAND: AOMORI -- Younger GMG members are leaving the hard and lonely life of the Guild in record numbers. Most of them are headed for Honshu, where the Kishiro factories are booming. It is a sad day for the Guild when we can no longer offer our children the life that they desire, but if that is their wish, then it should be so. We must expand further into the Edge and find a homeland of our own after all these centuries. Then our young will no longer dream of life on Kusari planets. PIRATES THREATEN GMG TERRITORY: NAHA -- Recent brazen attacks by Outcasts and Corsairs within the Sigma-13 system underline the need for greater security investment by the GMG. Current proposals range from building an early warning array of satellites across the system to surrounding all known Jump Holes with rings of weapons platforms. The Zoners have objected to the latter solution, noting that the Cambridge Line has proven useless in preventing Corsair attacks in Bretonia. One thing is certain -- we can no longer sit idly by and let the pirates terrorize us. SIGMA-13 GAS RESERVES EXHAUSTED? NAHA -- The GMG production group released a 20-year estimate for the Sigma-13 system H-Fuel reserves yesterday. The findings were alarming: a steep decline in gas production during the next ten years, leading to an economically unviable operation by 815 AS. The Council took this as a sign that it is time for the GMG to gradually begin moving all of its operations to Sigma-17. In anticipation of the eventual migration, a new deal was recently signed with Kishiro to finance the expansion of the Ogashawa platform. CONTACT LOST WITH EXPEDITION: OGASHAWA -- The Hosho Maru and her escorts sailed forth from Ogashawa two months ago in search of new gas fields in the Edge Nebula. Initial transmissions received from the expedition were not promising in terms of H-Fuel discoveries, but the explorers had encountered vast fields of Alien Organisms. Shortly thereafter, contact was lost. It is feared that the group encountered hostile Outcasts, since that area of the Edge Nebula is widely known to be the Outcasts' home territory. Wreck The wreck of the Hoshu Maru, a GMG exploratory vessel in search of H-Fuel (localized on Omicron Beta 4E) Category:Factions Category:Independent Factions Category:Kusari Factions